The present invention relates to ballistic protective apparel in general, and more particularly to undergarments for use with ballistic armor.
Persons exposed to projectile threats, such as police officers and soldiers, may seek a certain level of protection by wearing armored clothing. Low velocity projectiles such as handgun rounds, fragmentation rounds from a grenade or mortar, and miscellaneous shrapnel may be countered by so-called “soft armor.” Soft armor is worn in the form of jackets, vests, etc. which are composed of assemblies of ballistic fabric such as those formed from DuPont Kevlar® fibers. In a more serious threat situations, where higher velocity rifle rounds must be countered, soft armor has typically been supplemented with hard armor. The hard armor is fabricated of rigid plates of ceramic, polymer, or metal. A common approach to mounting the plates to the wearer is to secure them within exterior pockets fabricated on a soft armor jacket or vest.
Conventionally, the armor jacket or vest will be worn over a durable shirt, such as a battle dress uniform blouse. The durable fabric protects the wearer from sun, dust, and minor abrasions. By wearing a conventional blouse, a soldier can remove his armor while still maintaining required uniform standards. Yet the heavy soft armor, possibly supplemented by hard armor, does not require a durable fabric beneath it, and the less breathable durable fabric can contribute to heat build-up in the wearer. Higher metabolic activities encountered under combat conditions can result in greater perspiration. It is important that this moisture be able to evaporate away from the wearer's skin, and that heat loads be dissipated.
An early combat shirt developed for the U.S. Army employs a lightweight wicking fabric in the torso, while the sleeves of the garment, which may not be covered by the armor, are composed of a durable, less open, fabric. The torso fabric may be similar to that used in UNDER ARMOUR® undershirts marketed by Under Armour, Inc. of Baltimore, Md. By forming the combat shirt from materials with differing properties, the wearer's arms are protected, while heat dispersion is facilitated. However, the wicking material is also more elastic or stretchable than the durable fabric, with the result that the shirt tends to lose its shape, with the durable sleeves pulling down the resilient torso material at the shoulders.
What is needed is a combat shirt having desirable protective and wicking abilities, yet which at the same time satisfactorily retains its shape on the wearer.